St Joseph's, Clarkston

05/09/2026

𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻: 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱

I note with concern the Scottish Government’s response to a recent parliamentary question on abortion law and access to later-stage abortion services. While the Government has indicated that it has no immediate plans to reform abortion law in 2026–27, it has also reaffirmed its intention to consult on the recommendations of the abortion law review advisory group and to establish a nationally commissioned later-stage abortion service in Scotland.

The advisory group, which excluded prolife voices and which adopted a principle of “non-regression” on abortion provision, lacks both legitimacy and credibility. It has made radical recommendations to the Scottish Government which, if implemented, would effectively permit abortion up to birth for any reason and remove the current requirement for two doctors to approve abortions up to 24 weeks. It is astonishing that the report also recommends that future legislation should make no reference to s*x-selective abortion, paving the way for unborn babies to be aborted simply because they are deemed to be the wrong s*x.

I recognise the real fear, pressure and hardship that can accompany an unexpected or crisis pregnancy. Women in such circumstances deserve compassion, practical assistance, emotional support and the assurance that neither they nor their children will be abandoned. A truly caring society must respond to vulnerability by offering hope and help, not by making abortion more readily available at later stages of pregnancy.

The establishment of later-stage abortion provision in Scotland, alongside proposals to weaken existing legal safeguards, raises grave moral and social questions. Every unborn child is a unique human life deserving of protection, and every mother should be supported in ways that uphold her dignity and the dignity of her child. I therefore make a direct appeal to all elected representatives who recognise the inherent dignity of every human life, to reject any further liberalisation of abortion provisions in Scotland and to oppose measures that would remove essential safeguards or further weaken protection for unborn children.

I urge the Scottish Government and all MSPs to prioritise policies that expand support for women and families, reduce the pressures that lead to abortion, and foster a culture in which every life is welcomed and protected from conception to natural death. Scotland should aspire to be a nation where compassion means standing with both mother and child.

Bishop John Keenan
President of the National Office for Marriage, Family and Life, Bishops’ Conference of Scotland

01/09/2026

There is NO adoration due to confirmation meeting at the Church . Apologies

28/08/2026

🙏🏻🙏🏾 S4-6 pupils are invited to the first Acutis Evening of the new school year, for catechesis, dinner and prayer, on Friday 4th September.

It will take place in St James’s church and hall (Greenock Road, Paisley) from 6-8pm.

Please note that (one-time) registration for these events in necessary. Parents/guardians should visit www.tinyurl.com/dpy-acutis-evenings.

Email Fr Ryan Black for more info at [email protected].

28/08/2026

25/08/2026

Late notice
Adoration this evening will only be from 6.30-7pm

21/08/2026

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲

Bishop John Keenan has issued a pastoral letter urging Catholics across Scotland to contact their MPs ahead of the return of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to the House of Commons on Friday 11 September.

The Bill, reintroduced by Lauren Edwards MP, would permit eligible terminally ill adults in England and Wales to receive assistance to end their lives. A similar Bill was defeated in the Scottish Parliament last March.

Although this new legislation would apply only to England and Wales, Bishop Keenan stresses that this remains an important moment for Catholics in Scotland. The outcome at Westminster could have significant consequences north of the border and potentially reignite attempts to legalise assisted su***de in Scotland.

In his letter, Bishop Keenan describes the coming vote as a “grave moment for the protection of human life” and urges Catholics to contact their MPs “without delay” and ask them to oppose the Bill.

Bishop Keenan said:
“Our opposition to assisted su***de is rooted in compassion. Every person, from conception until natural death, possesses an inviolable dignity as one made in the image and likeness of God.”

Warning particularly of the potential consequences for vulnerable people, he added:
“Illness, frailty, disability, dependence or fear must never lead society to conclude that some lives are no longer worth living.”

The Bishop calls instead for greater investment in palliative and hospice care and better support for carers, insisting that “the proper response to suffering is care, presence, skilled palliative medicine and practical support—not the deliberate ending of life.”

Scotland’s Catholic bishops encourage all who stand on the side of life to contact their MP today and without delay, asking them to protect vulnerable people, support better palliative and hospice care, and vote against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

19/08/2026

𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

Scotland’s Catholic bishops have joined other religious leaders in welcoming a new £1 million fund to cover the cost of repairs to listed buildings in Scotland.

Bishop John Keenan, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland, and Rt. Rev. Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said the money will provide much-needed support to maintain historically significant assets at the heart of community life.

The Scotland Places of Worship Fund will open this autumn to help congregations – from any faith group or denomination – recover VAT costs associated with repair works if they worship in a listed building.

The pilot scheme was developed in response to the closure of the previous UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme earlier this year, which sent shockwaves throughout faith communities.

The Scottish Churches Leaders’ Forum and the Scottish Churches Committee urged the UK and Scottish Governments to ensure that listed places of worship are not disproportionately affected by the decision to end the grant scheme in Scotland.

Church members were invited to write to their local elected representatives asking them to lobby the Scottish Government to launch a substitute scheme to ease the financial pressure on congregations.

The money will be made available through the existing Historic Environment Scotland (HES) grants budget and is a standalone scheme.

Bishop Keenan said: “We warmly welcome Historic Environment Scotland's announcement of the Places of Worship Fund pilot for Scotland, which recognises the vital contribution that churches and other places of worship make to Scotland's heritage and community life.”

“The fund will provide much-needed support for the care and conservation of these important buildings, helping to address the loss of the previous UK-wide scheme.”

“We look forward to engaging constructively with Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government as the pilot progresses and to discussions on establishing a permanent, sustainable funding arrangement for the future.”

Commenting on the announcement, the Rt. Rev. Gordon Kennedy said:

“I’m very grateful for the support of HES and the Scottish Government in recognising the importance of places of worship, which are so often cherished by people beyond members of the congregation.”

“We know how difficult it is for communities to lose their place of worship, and support for repairs and maintenance will help keep more places warm, wind and watertight, and it makes it just a wee bit easier for local volunteers to care for these historic assets.”

Religious leaders are encouraging eligible parishes and communities to consider applying when the fund opens for applications later this year. Detailed information can be found at:

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/hes-launches-pilot-fund-to-support-scotlands-historic-places-of-worship/

17/08/2026

Five months ago, MSPs voted to reject Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying Bill ending the threat of assisted dying in Scotland, at least for the time being. Or so it seemed.

That threat, however, could return very soon. Lauren Edwards, the Labour MP for Rochester and Strood, is attempting to reintroduce Kim Leadbeater’s assisted-dying proposals, and its second reading is scheduled for 11 September.

Leadbeater’s bill failed to overcome multiple concerns over safeguards in the Lords and ultimately fell on that basis. The attempt to reintroduce the same bill is a forlorn effort to resuscitate a lost cause while Parliament and the country have moved on.

It is important that Scottish MP’s turn up to vote against this Bill which could simultaneously reverse engineer assisted su***de back on to the agenda in Scotland.

MPs will be concerned that the Bill offers no opt-outs to Catholic and other faith-based care homes. If passed it would mean these homes would be forced to close and countless beds lost to those hoping to live their last months supported by their faith communities.

We don’t need another divisive debate about assisted su***de far more urgent is our national challenge to improve palliative and social care. In this context the Prime Minister’s recent intervention was both timely and welcome. As he suggests, we have a duty to ensure that every person approaching the end of life has access to the compassionate palliative and social care they deserve. No one should feel driven towards assisted su***de because they lack the care and support they deserve.

The British population agree. In a country where one third of our fellow citizens do not get the end of life care they need, two thirds of us polled earlier this year said “it is essential that high-quality hospice and/or palliative care is universally available before any assisted su***de laws are passed”.

Aware of the myriad risks of assisted su***de, the Scottish Parliament rejected it. I hope the PM’s intervention will encourage Westminster MPs to reflect carefully before taking a step that would fundamentally change the way our society deals with the sick and vulnerable.

Perhaps this is an opportunity fundamentally to rethink our whole approach to assisted su***de. The compassionate response to the suffering of our fellow citizens is not to help them end their lives, but to ensure they receive the highest quality care, love and accompaniment they need.

As well as being a serious threat for the sick, elderly and vulnerable across England and Wales this bill, if enacted in law, would set an invidious precedent for Scotland.

I pray for all who are seriously ill, for their families and carers, but also for those in public office, who have the unenviable weight of important decisions on their minds, that they choose to build a society that goes the extra mile to care for its most vulnerable and uphold the dignity of every human life.

Bishop John Keenan, President, Bishops Conference of Scotland